Collapsible funnel



W. L. ALLEE I Nov. 24, 1925- COLLAPS I BLE FUNNEL Filed March 5, 1925 ,1 .14 IIIIIIIIII:

INVENTOR 6 7 Q ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED ES...

WILLIAM LEROY ALLEE, or ToPEKA, KANSAS.

COLLAI SIBLE FUKNEL.

Application filed March 5. 1825. Serial No. 13,854.

To all 1/10Hl if may concern:

Be it known that L lViLLiAM LEROY .i.nns, a citizen of the United States, residing in Topeka and State of Kansas, have mvented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Funnels. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application.

My invention relates to collapsible funnels.

The object of my invention is to provide a funnel having segmental stoves hingedly ('OHIIQCtQCl forming the walls.

A further object of the invention is to provide a funnel that will collapse inwardly and uniforml A still furt er object of the invention is to provide a tunnel that by its collapsing feature will house within the neck of the connection vessel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a funnel, when housed having attaching features to be withdrawn and expanded automatically, functioning as a vessel.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the funnel extended for use.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the position of the funnel as shown in Fig, 1, with parts removed for the convenience of illustration.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective of the collapsing means of the tunnel.

Fig. l is a plan view of the funnel in its collapsible position.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the tunnel in the osition as shown in Fig. with parts removed for convenience of illustration.

1 denotes the segmentnry parts com rising the collapsible walls of the funnel, w rich are hingcdly connected as shown at the point A.

2 denotes the extended ends of the hinge pins located at points as shown at B.

3 is another extension of the hinge pins and loops around the retaining stirrup 4 as shown at C.

The rods 5 are pivotally connected to the members 2 on one end and to the pins 6 at the opposite end as shown at D, and are sustained by the housing 7 which may be rociprocntod along the vertical axis of the funncl by means of tension or compression applied to the rigid member 8 at tho rin 9.

10 represents the neck of the liquid container or a portable housing for said funnel,

and to the neck 10 are firmly connected the extlem'e points of the retaining stirrup 4 as at E.

The mechanism operated as follows:

Starting from the open position as shown in Figs. 1 and Q a downward pressure is applied to the member 8 at the ring 9, forcing the housing 7 downward together with rods 5 and thus collapsing the segments as shown in Fig. 4, which folding ore-losing of said segments reduces the extreme perimeter of their horizontal displacement to a size which will permit the enclosing of the operating parts in the housing 10 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 at 9 on the member 8 when the collapsible funnel is in the housed position as shown in Fig. 5. The action as before described will be reversed, and the funnel will again be in position for use as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It should be noted that member 3 are slidably engaged with stirrup 4 and act as a vertical stop when the device is lifted for operation and which act as guiding members when the collapsible funnel is returned to the housing 10.

It can be readily seen that in connection with this the stirrup 4 is the limiting means for both positions of the collapsing parts.

I do not confine myself to any specific material in the construction of my invention, nor do I confine myself to any specific design of the actuatin member 8 or its relative position to the rousing 7.

This device is intended for use as means for guidin liquid into a container, such as an automo ile radiator, a gasoline tank, oil reservoirs on motor cars and other machinery, es )ecially when it would be inconsistcnt wit 1 the ap ezrrance or operation of the machinery to ave an overflow or undue splashing of the liquid on the framing parts.

My invention will however permit the passa e of a liquid whether some is in the oxten ed Sosition or enclosed as shown in Fl s. 4 an 5.

guch modifications may be em loyed as lie within scope of the a )pendcd c aims and what I claim as new anti desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In it collapsible funnel, a tunnel comprising a plura ity of converging segments, said so monts being hinged together, and adaptec to fold in opposite directions alternately, radially disposed rods pivotally conhercin disclosed is nected to the top of the funnel, and the op posite ends to a centrally disposed housing, a member connected to aid housing for the downward movement of the inner ends of the said rods by which means the segments of said i'unnel are collapsed and drawn in close relation. a portable housing and a stirrup, said stirrup conrerging downward to conform to (he collapsed shape of said l'unnel. a loop on each side of the bottom of said funnel. said loop engaging around sides of said stirrup. functioning as a guiding and retaining means for lower extremity of said funnel concentric to said housin 2. In a collapsible funnel, a funnel composed of a plurality of converging segments, a plurality of radially disposed rods, said rods pivotally connected to the peripheral edge of said funnel and the oppsite ends to a housing, a member vertically disposed and attached to said housing as actuating means for said rods simultaneously collapsing and expanding said unnel, guide loops at the converged end of said funnel, said loops engaging on a stirrup guide member, a stirrup functioning as a guide and stop for said funnel, and a housing for said stirrup and funnel.

3. Ina collapsible funnel, a plurality of hinged sides. said sides variably disposed and collapsibly hinged in the plane of their longitudinal axes, a plurality of radially disposed rods connected to extreme points ol" said hinged sides, means for operating said rods and collapsing said funnel, a guiding means, a plurality of members attached to said sides and slidably mounted on said guiding member as limiting means for extreme position of said hinged sides comprising said funnel.

\VILLI A LEROY ALLEE. 

